GOLD: Galantas halts development at Omagh project

IRELAND – Toronto-based Galantas Gold Corp. says it has been forced to halt development work at its Omagh gold project in County Tyrone because the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is no longer providing anti-terrorism protection services in regard to blasting operations. The PSNI insists that it supervise all transportation and use of certain rock breaking materials at any project, in regards to lessening potential terrorist access to explosives. The PSNI cited a shortage of resources and competing priorities when it notified Galantas that it was  reducing its services. [caption id="attachment_1003718142" align="alignright" width="284"] Galantas Gold’s efforts to take the Omagh mine underground have been cut short. (Credit: The Northern Miner)[/caption] PSNI is currently only prepared to provide anti-terrorism cover for a maximum of a 2-hour period, 2 days per week. It will also require a cost recovery agreement. Two, 2 hour periods per week is insufficient to sustain the development or operation at Omagh, according to Galantas. Galantas disagrees with the principle of paying the police to provide anti-terrorism protection, but has agreed to negotiating a cost recovery agreement without prejudice to its legal remedies in that respect if the PSNI would provide its services for a 2-hour period, 5 days per week. The company in a release noted that the PSNI provides more hours of anti-terrorism cover without cost recovery agreements to other Northern Ireland explosives users, and sees its own treatment as discriminatory. Galantas originally received permits to build an underground mine at Omagh in 2015, and the company began development in March this year. The portal was completed in April, but further work has been delayed due to the lack of explosives deliveries. Further information will be posted as available at www.Galantas.com.